From Uniform to Corporate: Redefining My Leadership Journey

As I step out of my 14-year military career and into the corporate world, I find myself on a path of transformation—one that’s exciting, but also humbling. I feel immensely blessed to be part of the Defence Management program at IIM Kozhikode, a journey that is reshaping how I look at challenges, decisions, and even everyday tasks.

For over a decade, I served my nation with pride and dedication. In the military, time was our most precious resource. The success of our missions, the safety of our comrades, and the operational readiness of our equipment all hinged on the timeliness of delivery. Every decision I made was driven by this critical factor—failure was never an option because lives were on the line. The cost was considered, but only when it came to capital procurement; in daily operations, mission success was the only priority.

Now, as I transition into the corporate world, I’m experiencing a profound shift. For the first time, I am learning to see the world through the lens of cost management—understanding that in business, every decision, every action, has a price tag attached to it. Thanks to our incredible faculty at IIMK, especially Prof. VG and Prof. Rudra, my grasp of terms like Capex, Opex, operational costs, and workflow efficiency has deepened significantly. I’m learning to strike a balance between cost and time—and to see them not as competing factors, but as two parts of a larger equation.

Yet, if I’m honest, this transition hasn’t been easy. During interviews, when asked about cost-balancing and financial metrics, I often feel a wave of self-doubt. After all, for 14 years, I led teams through high-pressure, time-sensitive operations where deadlines mattered far more than budget lines. I never had to think about profit margins, and at times, it feels like my ability to work under immense pressure and lead in crisis situations is being overshadowed by my lack of financial expertise.

But here's what I’ve come to understand: The values I bring from the military are my greatest strength. India holds its armed forces in the highest regard, and there is a reason for that. We embody the values of discipline, resilience, honor, and a fierce commitment to the task at hand. These qualities can’t be measured on a balance sheet, but they are exactly what every organization needs to succeed, especially in today’s volatile world.

I’ve spent years applying lean techniques to optimize workflows and reduce inefficiencies—not to cut costs, but to save time and ensure my team had the space to breathe, even during intense operations. Now, I am learning to convert those same principles into the corporate context, where time saved translates to cost efficiency and improved profit margins.

What I’m realizing is that my journey, though different from many in the corporate world, is not a weakness—it’s a unique advantage. I know how to lead through uncertainty, how to make decisions under pressure, and how to drive teams to success when the stakes are high. Now, I’m learning how to blend those skills with the financial acumen that drives the corporate engine.

It’s been an emotional journey, filled with moments of doubt and discovery. But as a soldier, I’ve been trained to adapt and overcome. India’s military teaches us to never back down, to face every challenge head-on, and to trust in our ability to succeed—and that’s exactly what I’m doing now.

To my fellow veterans transitioning to the corporate world: It’s okay to feel out of place at first. It’s okay to struggle with the jargon and metrics. What matters is that we bring a unique set of skills and values to the table—skills that can’t be taught in any business school but are forged in the fires of service to our nation.

We are not just transitioning careers; we are translating our service into something new and powerful. And while we may still be learning the finer points of cost management and profit margins, we already have what it takes to lead, inspire, and make a difference in any organization we join.

Thank you to Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode , Prof Debashis (Deb Ashis) Chatterjee Prof. VG, Prof Rudra Sensarma , and everyone who has supported me on this journey. The path ahead may be different, but I’m ready to take it on, with the same determination and pride that carried me through my years of service.